by: Matt Lewis
It seems like every political pundit inside and outside of Pennsylvania is heralding former PA Governor Tom Ridge as the Republican Party’s savior in the PA Senate Race. But no one is really looking at his record and asking if Ridge can possibly win a primary against Pat Toomey.
There are no credible primary polls yet, but there is plenty of reason to think that the primary will not be a walk in the park for Ridge.First, it is worth noting that Toomey nearly beat Specter last time around -- and despite the help Ridge would receive from Republican insiders -- it is unlikely he could match the help Specter received last time (after all, President Bush supported him). Additionally, it is axiomatic that in GOP primaries, conservatives are the ones who will turn out to vote. Clearly, Ridge would have his hands full in a primary.
